Set in the beginning of season 3. Alex and Sean run into the paparazzi.
Alex and Sean were having such a nice lunch. He had asked her out so they could escape paperwork; at least, that was his stammered excuse. Honestly, he just wanted to go on a date with her. Alex knew that instantly, but she didn't fight Sean on the idea. He had actually asked her during a non life threatening situation. Also, she enjoyed the thought of going on a date with him. It made her smile so wide her cheeks hurt.
The weather was absolutely beautiful that day, so the two decided to eat lunch outside. They found a little café with outdoor seating, and ordered all the food and drinks their stomachs desired. As Sean and Alex ate, they laughed and talked and greatly enjoyed one another's company. It was nearly perfect. Just being together almost always was. Yet that date was extra special. It felt like something the two could do forever. At least, it did before Alex noticed a strange and sudden flash of light.
When she searched for the source of the weird light, she spotted a man across the street with a camera. Her first reaction was to grab Sean's hand and run. They were in trouble. Somebody, possibly an enemy, had found them. The person intended to track them and was no doubt going to hurt them. However, upon second glance, Alex realized her alarm was for nothing. The man with the camera was too obvious, shabby, and excited to be an enemy agent. He was someone far worse and annoying than that. Exasperated, Alex slouched in her chair and groaned, "Ugh. Seriously?"
"What?" Startled by her sudden change in attitude, Sean instantly dropped what he was talking about. It wasn't really that important anyway. Whatever had upset Alex took precedence. The worried thought that he had something to do with it definitely caused most of his anxious desire to discover what was wrong. But, fortunately, her attention wasn't on him. She was glaring at something over his shoulder.
"Don't look," Before Sean could turn to glance at the paparazzi, Alex forcefully grabbed his arm. That only caused his anxiety to spike dangerously high, however. His body tensed, on deadly high alert. Alex instantly relaxed her grip and soothed his taut muscles. There was nothing for him to be worried about. She was simply fed up, "It's the fucking paparazzi."
Sean expelled a held in breath. The two weren't under attack. They were fine. Well, he was. At another flash of the camera, which he noticed that time, Alex glowered. She really hated having her picture taken by strangers, "Have they been following you since Russia?"
"Try before that. Ever since I crashed that press conference and revealed who I was, I've been followed by jackasses with cameras," Alex mumbled. She wasn't captured by the paparazzi often. But whenever she wanted a peaceful afternoon shopping and hanging out with Nikita, she'd spot a creep with a camera. It probably wouldn't have been that big of a deal if her friend didn't have to duck and hide everytime. Alex hated that their rare peace was ruined because of her celebrity status. People should just leave her alone for once.
"I haven't seen you all over the tabloids," Gently, Sean took Alex's hand in his and squeezed reassuringly. She seemed to relax at his touch. She leaned closer to him across the table and played with their interlocked fingers.
"Cause I avoid them and have Birkhoff delete any pictures they manage to capture," Alex admitted. They had begun the practice of deleting paparazzi pictures of her when the team was still on the run from Division. They didn't need Amanda and Percy being able to trace hers and the other's movements. With the bastard dead and the bitch in the wind, the former rogues didn't have to worry about tabloid photos anymore. Except, of course, when they wanted to keep a low profile as they battled their Dirty Thirties. That had proven to be a disastrous problem already.
Although Sean understood Alex's desire to completely run away from the creepy opportunist capturing their pictures, he didn't want to abandon their date. They had been having so much fun together. They shouldn't have to stop that because of the paparazzi. In fact, they should find a way to incorporate the persistent camera into their fun. Alex and Sean did enjoy working together. And if they got to mess with someone at the same time, that'd be even better, "Why don't we give them a little show before we do that?"
Alex's initial reaction was to argue. She didn't want to spend any more time around a camera. However, she didn't want to stop holding Sean's hand. She also considered that maybe posing for pictures would get the paparazzi off her back- even if the photographs were going to be deleted later. She should allow herself to have fun with Sean no matter what.
Yanking Sean to his feet, Alex smiled wickedly. They paid for their lunch inside, then ran off to do whatever crazy thing they could think of. The two made sure to keep the man with the camera close. They also made sure he had plenty of places to hide, and that he could capture the best possible angles. If he thought it was easy, he might stick around for the full show.
Sean and Alex had no idea what they were going to do to mess with the paparazzi, however. Besides lunch, they didn't have any other plans for a date. Hand in hand, they simply roamed the city until they found something to do. They kept their conversation light (and a bit gossipy in case they could be heard). The two tried to make each other smile and laugh as much as possible. The louder and more outrageous they became the better. They didn't care if they seemed annoying to other people. It was kind of more fun that way.
Eventually, Alex and Sean stumbled upon a park. They didn't hesitate before rushing inside. In fact, the two stopped thinking about what their next move should be entirely. They simply acted on whatever seemed like the most fun. They rented bicycles and tried to make each other fall as they rode together. Then they fed the ducks and chased them around (that was mostly to make the nearby kids laugh). And then they hopped into a rented paddle boat, sailing out into the small pond. The entire time Sean and Alex played around, they continued to try to make each other smile the brightest. Soon, they didn't have to work so hard to achieve that.
More paparazzi had joined their lone photographer in the park, but that only ramped Sean and Alex up. They had a much larger audience for their antics; though, the more they played with each other, the less they thought about those around them. Their adventure in the paddle boat was the same as their one on the bikes. Alex and Sean laughed and joked, and attempted to make the other fall into the water. Their hands were all over each other, smiles permanently on their lips. They were just complete goofs. It was the most fun either of them had had in a long time. They never wanted it to end.
Unfortunately, it was about time Sean and Alex headed back to Division. They had been out for hours, and their friends were beginning to wonder where they were. The paparazzi should've gotten enough pictures of the two by then. They could finally run away. Except, Alex had one last idea. The voyeuristic photographers deserved some sort of grand finale. And she was going to give it to them by grabbing Sean by the shirt and kissing him passionately.
She'd be lying if she said her heart didn't race. She had only kissed him as a part of her show for the paparazzi. But the tingle on her lips expressed otherwise. Alex wanted to kiss Sean again. Each time they kissed, she was always left wanting more. Yet it was never the time. That moment wasn't the exception. They were in public, surrounded by cameras. The two had to go. Although she kept herself wrapped tightly in his arms, Alex reminded Sean of that, breathing warmly against his lips, "I think this should be the part where we lose them."
"Right, yeah," Sean had to take a moment to remember how to think. Alex couldn't stop herself from giggling at him. Bumping her nose with his, he feigned annoyance. When that didn't stop her, he went in for a second kiss. She pulled away from him. He was shocked for a second, but then he saw the mischief in her bright blue eyes. She smirked, grabbed his hand, and yanked him along with her as she ran away. Naturally, he laughed and followed after her.
"What are you doing?" Ryan found Birkhoff scrolling through pictures on his computer in the middle of Ops. Usually, if he was going to do that, he'd stay in his cave. That was at least what the team taunted him for doing in the past. Ryan hadn't seen Birkhoff do anything like that, besides the occasional staring at Sonya's picture. Which was why he was so confused that the nerd would look at girls' pictures in such an open space.
"Deleting paparazzi pictures of Alex," Once Birkhoff explained, Ryan was instantly appeased. A rare photograph of Alexandra Udinov circulating the news wasn't that big of a deal. However, multiple pictures of her with their team- even if it was only Sean- was something to be cautious of. There couldn't be even a hint of a conspiracy spreading that Alex was involved in Division's activities. That could cause danger for them all.
So, Alexandra Udinov was erased from the public image. Though, the team did like to use her as a distraction out in the field. People were bound to flock to the ostentatious, rich, spoiled heiress, leaving the agents to sneak around and do as they pleased. It'd be easier for Alex to gain the attraction she needed on a mission if the public already had that impression of her. And, they'd get that impression if she was caught by the paparazzi more often.
Obviously, the cameras shouldn't capture everything. But a glimpse of Alexandra doing a variety of things around the city could be fine. Ryan would just make certain the team continued to control the story, "Wait. Only delete the ones where we clearly see their faces."
"Why?" Cautiously, Birkhoff stopped his hacking. He trusted Ryan had his reasons, but he didn't want to tempt anything- especially Alex's wrath. There was a strong chance she wouldn't like what would be decided.
"We want to establish Alexandra Udinov as a 'rich-bitch' heiress, right? She's gotta stay in the tabloids for that to happen," Ryan couldn't help but smirk. Creating an ostentatious cover for one of their agents would be tricky. But if they could pull it off- when they pulled it off- it'd be perfect. Also, it'd be kind of fun to mess with Alex like that.
"Like Bruce Wayne and Batman," Bursting out in laughter, Birkhoff soon followed Ryan's directions. Alexandra Udinov was about to be made into such a frivolous party girl in the tabloids, no one would suspect she was actually a spy. It was the perfect way for her to live her double life. Except, Alex was going to hate the idea. She was annoyed by that false version of herself already. Those pictures taken of her were only going to make it worse. Birkhoff just laughed harder, "She's gonna be so pissed when she finds out."
And she was, once she saw those pictures plastered across newsstands the following day. Alex went absolutely ballistic on Ryan and Birkhoff. Although Sean's figure and unclear face were featured in the tabloids as well (he was called 'unknown hunky man') he thought it was funny. He also agreed with the others that the paparazzi was a great way to maintain covers. Yet he didn't dare share that thought aloud. He just cracked jokes about keeping the picture of them kissing, and watched Alex blush and eventually relax.
What they were doing was a good thing. There was no reason to panic- about any of it.
